Ripe as a Plum
by AnOwlTree
Summary: George Ace bumps into Urara, and after two years Urara isn't too keen on seeing him again.


"What do you want?" Urara hissed under his breath, trying to break free of that hand upon his wrist.

Life had been so perfect, so simple. Two years, and freedom had never felt so good. Earth had always been Urara's second home, and now that DUCK trusted him it made it all the more easy to well, live.

"Please, just have some hot chocolate with me?" George's hand gripped ever tighter, causing Urara's facade to slip up with a menacing glare. _Don't. _Urara closed his eyes to breathe.

"Fine." The boy mumbled, and motioned towards the hand still clinging.

"Fine then!" George Ace exclaimed, as if he'd been triumphant in his 'persuasion'. Force... really. DUCK could still have suspicion if he refused such a simple act of kindness. _No need... It's alright. It's just a drink. Let's just get this over with. _

"What have you been doing these past two years?" George squawked as he ordered two hot chocolates. _He's quite talkative? _Urara twirled his hair around a finger as he contemplated the question. _What have I been doing? _

"I went to school, graduated, and now I work for a hair salon..." _But of course he knows all that. They have surveillance on me. They wouldn't just drop the radar. _

George smiled as Urara decided not to lie. "Sounds like a handful."

"And what about yourself?" The boy could barely hold back a smile. It'd been so long since he'd talked to one of _them. _It was...exciting. The adrenaline of being caught.

"Oh the usual, dealing with the alien crisis in Dubai, sadly sending Akira back to London for work." There was a pout on his lips as George spoke Akira's name. _He misses him._ Urara watched George as he fell into thought, the boy couldn't help but stare. His sunglasses setting on the table before them, teeth biting on that purple lip stain. That rush of color on his lips was the only thing Urara could recognize about him. George wasn't in his usual attire, no coat, turban or feather. Instead, bundled up and now bundled down since they sat inside. A black turtleneck sweater was a strange plain thing to see him in. _He's kind of pretty with his hair down._ George blinked.

"Are you staring at me?"

"A-ahm.." Urara's voice quickly squeaked. "I just like y-your lip gloss." _Caught off guard. _

"Lip _stain, b_ut here let me share, I have another tube –"

"You don't ha-have to..do that.." The boys eyes widened as George stood up to lean across that small coffee house table, with the stain in his left hand. There was a squirm of refusal from Urara for just a moment before George's thumb met his bottom lip.

"Relax so I can put it on." His voice was a whine, annoyed with Urara's wiggle. In frustration his right hand moved to the boys jaw. "Hold _still._"

From that point on Urara gave up on refusal, it was all too late for that. Pushing him away might be seen as aggressive. Not to mention Urara was enjoying their closeness. Trying to decide on a color name for George's eyes, and hair, or imagining the way his neck would look without the turtleneck on.

"You're trembling." He finally moved away.

"Am I?" Urara's shoulders tensed and untensed, curling forward only to lean back again.

"Oh my _god_, that color looks perfect on you."

"Thanks." Urara sank into the chair, confused at the warmness he felt in his cheeks. _He trusts me. _The only other person that had truly trusted Urara was Yuki, and he'd left for college in America. It'd been a long time since another person let him in. Sure, you may count Haru, but he couldn't sense danger. Haru was more gullible than anything, and that's not real trust.

Their conversation only continued as the hot chocolate was delivered, each of them warming up to one another. Their purple lip stain sticking to the rim of the cups, creating small designs on them as they continued.

"What are you doing tonight?" George leaned in.

_No._ Urara backed away. _One step too far. _"I have to go to work."

"No you don't, your shift is tomorrow morning." Ace got closer as Urara pulled farther away, like magnets...the negative end would only get so close.

Urara bit his lip until he couldn't anymore. His tongue then licked the back of his teeth. _It tastes like plums._

"I really need to go, I'll get my end of the check – "

"No, it's okay. I'll get yours." George pulled a napkin out of the dispenser and a pen out of his pocket. Just as Urara had started to walk away, the movement caught his eye.

"What's that?" Urara asked as Ace kissed the napkin and handed it over. _A napkin with an address and a kiss. I've never...gotten one of these before._

"Since you're in such a rush... to go to work." He rolled his eyes, and that condescending tone dripped from his lips as he called a waitress over. A simple 'Thanks' was all Urara could think of chanting a few times before swiftly exiting the coffee shop.

_This address is in my fucking apartment complex. _He stuffed the napkin into his pocket as his feet carried him home, occasionally looking back to see if George was following. Urara never saw him.

_Should I make dinner? _A pace was set in the kitchen, feet circling and circling until he finally decided to go to the bathroom to wash his face. Walking in Urara nearly startled himself, forgetting about the lip stain completely. _This is a weird color. It looks...better on him. _A single finger smudged the purple gloss, displacing it onto down to his chin in a trail. _What does he look like without it?_ A washcloth was gathered to remove it while he continued imagining those colorless lips. _I bet his lips are especially pink... _

"Why am I still thinking about him..." Urara mused into the mirror, gripping the counter with both hands. "Am I lonely? Or is he really that..." _beautiful. _

"Don't think that." He moaned to himself, agitated with the blush reflected in the mirror. "I just want _one_ taste." Another frustrated yelp left him again. _Stop this nonsense. _

"Why am I attracted to him?" Urara practically screamed now, pacing around his apartment in a panic, talking back and forth to himself.

"He's beautiful, and sweet..." Urara turned abruptly.

"But he's a DUCK agent tracking me! What if something happens?"

"But nothing will! I'm not doing anything wrong, I've been living a normal life. Normal."

"Yeah, quite normal... if you get involved with him all of that will change."

Exasperated and conflicted, Urara lowered himself to the ground. _Act on your impulse for just once. _His feet wiggled, and after a moment of mindless staring he slipped a pair of shoes on and went to go find the apartment.

_One knock. _But there was silence. _It's god damn cold out here, and I didn't bring a scarf. _

Another knock, and still no answer.

"Fuck you!" Urara spat the words at the door before swiftly turning. _This was all just a game to him, wasn't it?_

"Urara?" George peeked his head out of the door. "It's kind of late."

_What do you mean it's kind of late? You gave me your address, that's practically an invitation to come at any time I wish. _"Hello..." He yanked his hair, biting back words he'd rather not have to deal with the consequences of.

"What are you here for?"

_That's right. What on Earth am I here for? _"I umm..." His eyes wandered to George's neck, free from that turtleneck and in what seemed to be a purple pajama shirt. "The lip gloss."

Suddenly George's eyes narrowed, and the door opened a bit more. "You mean the lip _stain_?"

"Stain..." Urara stepped forward, and George didn't move away like every one else did. Trusting he wouldn't get hurt, trusting the boy honestly had no ulterior motives.

"What about it?" _You're still wearing it first of all, even though you're in pajama's...do you ever take it off? _

"I just... wanted some more."

"Then why take it off in the first place, it has twenty four hour covera– "

_Idiot. _Urara stepped up to the door frame, giving him just enough height to tip toe his way to George Ace's mouth, stealing the lip stain as they went. _He tastes like plums. _A hand on his neck, and those arms around hips only allow further entry. A push and a shove down the hallway until Urara realizes what he's done, removing his lips and licking them vigorously of the sweet taste.

"It looks like you got what you came for." George teased, holding back the laughter of seeing Urara's lips caked with smudges of the lip stain.

There weren't any words that could leave Urara's mouth, too satisfied, and now too embarrassed of what he'd gone through with. For a moment, neither of them knew what to do, but with a swift kiss on the cheek, George reluctantly let him leave... that time.

Every night following George Ace turned Urara into a purple monster with a bright red face. Like a silly infatuation that Urara couldn't rid himself of, he always came back begging for more. After all, there was something special about the taste of plums off of ripe lips, it felt sweeter in that winter air.


End file.
